Early voting in California is quickly approaching for the 2022 election cycle. In most elections, voters will choose among candidates from two different parties -- but in several districts -- the “top-two” nonpartisan primary has led to head-to-head races between two Democrats.

Editor's Note: The pieces below feature two sides to the ongoing discussion on ranked choice voting from Deb Otis of FairVote and John Aldrich, Pfizer-Pratt University Professor of Political Science, Duke University. These perspectives originally published on Divided We Fall and have been republished on IVN with permission from the publisher.

Many people in the US are worried about the state of democracy in their state and the country at-large. However, a new report shows why there is still cause for hope even in a tremulous political environment. 

RepresentUs recently released “We The People” as part of its 10-year anniversary celebration. The report takes a look back at the last decade in pro-voter reform successes, including 161 state and local victories to give voters better elections and a more accountable political process.

The reform landscape has changed over the last few years. Solutions that were once presented at odds with each other have combined efforts to give voters fairer, more equitable, and more accountable elections.

The first success story of this can be found in Alaska, where the state conducted its first top-four nonpartisan primary for most of its elections on August 16, and used ranked choice voting for the first time in a special election for the state’s single congressional seat.